Master 175 combination retrival

[Bandi]

I have seen many posts on many sites wanting to know how to retrive a lost or forgotten combination for a Master 175 Lock. I have made and posted a short "howto" video on youtube at this link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHho6Qd2qyc

I hope it helps.

[Oldfast]

A+ on the thoroughness of the vid. If someone can't understand that, they may want to look into another hobby (lol). Nice job, thanks for sharing.

[Bandi]

Thank you...
It was my first "public" video I made about locks. I had a 175 that I forgot the combo for and never coud find anything on how to "decode" it, just a whole lot of how do I's lol....I hope it helps someone out. the hardest part is feeling for the gap. the first sevral times I did it, I would catch the edge of the flat side of the wheel.
Good luck to you all!

[raimundo]

Thanks Bandi, I always like to learn something new.

Rai

[Theist17]

I love these locks. Such a beautifully simple mechanism.

[femurat]

Extremely clear and detailed explanation. Very interesting video.

Thanks

[Eazy123]

Sorry to resurrect this thread (and it's a great video) - but I'm having a hard time "feeling" for the slot. I keep thinking I have it, but when I move the dial and try the next number it's the same feeling. Like something is catching. What could I be doing wrong? I made the tool just like you had it.

[GWiens2001]

Two things to check are the width of the part fitting into the gate (slot) and the depth it reaches in. Also with that tool, make sure it is going straight into the slot, not tipped forward or back.

Gordon

[Eazy123]

Two things to check are the width of the part fitting into the gate (slot) and the depth it reaches in. Also with that tool, make sure it is going straight into the slot, not tipped forward or back.

Gordon

I've cut it his way, and I've also made another one that's very long and thin, coming to a knife point - to make sure it's thin enough - the thinnest gauge I'm using is .0015". Another question I have is that near the end when he turns the one dial, there is a flat area that's not the gate, that seems to span two numbers - is the actual gate deeper than that flat part? I've found points where the tool moves back and forth freely so I know that's not the number, but on say - 5, I can move it down and it'll pull the number, but when I move up it moves freely. Then on 3, for example, I can do just the opposite. But no one number that will move the dial back and forth.

Either way, my tools still seem to reach the same depth no matter what number I'm on, especially if I push the tool in hard enough. I tried marking the tool at the depth it goes in as well, and never seem to pass that mark on one number more than any other.

I even tried wedging the tool near the bottom and turning the dial, listening for a "flick", figuring maybe the edges of the gate would cause that. However, on a couple of dials, I got that flick sound on two numbers instead of one - if that makes any sense. Maybe I'm going about this all wrong and it's easier than I'm making it out to be.

[Eazy123]

I’ve decided to get a brand new 175 and change one dial randomly, so I can feel how the gate is supposed to feel. Then 2 dials etc. That way I won’t get locked out of my own lock.

The locks I have are pretty worn so maybe practicing on a new one would help.

[GWiens2001]

Good idea. Much easier to get to know the feel with a known combo.

Gordon

[Eazy123]

Ok, after practicing on one and two dials, I think I've figured out where I went wrong - maybe this would be helpful info for someone just starting on decoding these locks.

I believe my problem was that I was jamming the tool way too far in, which likely caused problems I can only speculate on, like jamming the gauge and not being able to move it much, thus falsely implying I hit a gate. The feeler gauge is so thin that if you push hard enough, it'll bend up inside and go just as deep at any point.

All that it takes is to slip the tool in gently and just a bit, no force, and moving back and forth. This makes it MUCH easier.

[GWiens2001]

Good tip. Thanks!

Gordon

[Bandi]

Wow! didn't know people still watched those videos....Thank you!
I used the cut away lock to learn how to decode this lock, what to look at, feel, etc..
I have faith in you! Now, is the lock your trying to decode older than the the video?
I ask because soon after my video went public, I started getting emails that my method wasn't working on the newer versions. Some said that the space where the tool slips in was more narrow than the older locks.
I believe that Master made a few design changes. I don't know and cant confirm this but that's what Ive been told.
Happy Picking to you and don't give up!

[dontlook]

It still works. I give a talk on it. I went through and decoded at least 4 or 5 newer ones that were uncut up.

They can catch if the feeler gauge isn't cut cleanly.

Master has made ID'ing the mechanism a bit difficult by using confusing model numbers as well. The Master M175 has different guts than the Master 175D .